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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. bulb — for light
  5. chest — a box
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. pop — music
  8. wake — a trail
  9. suit — to fit
  10. chest — of your body
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. suit — clothes
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. suit — in cards
  17. pop — to visit
  18. chest — of your body
  19. chip — to eat
  20. pop — soda
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. dip — to sink
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. chip — for betting

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com